Knapping with cowboy (pic heavy)

[gstoneberg]

Today I had the great pleasure of visiting cowboy (aka Paul) and breaking some rock with him.  You know you're at a knapper's place when the decorative rock around the trees is all flint.



I drooled over his debitage pile (and even more the georgetown pile behind it):



I came to learn to run the ishi stick, but I think the lesson on thinning was even more important.  He thins his preforms effortlessly.  I kept missing the mark and knocking width or length off mine.   He made a thin little knife blade I took home and then worked on a really pretty point.



Here's his first point and mine (not quite done - on the left)...did I say Paul is FAST??  He did 2 in the time I took to get mine partway done...



He had some beautiful point displays in his house.





I'd still be there, but my wife called to say we'd been invited to a crawfish boil and it was starting in an hour (I was nearly 2hrs from home).  I made it just as the first batch hit the table.



What a wonderful day!  Thanks Paul.  I'm so glad we finally got together for my lesson.  I'll be out practising tomorrow.

George

[Tower]

Ohhhh man ! I bet you had a blast & crawdads to boot! Looks like it was a fine day. Congrats on the thinning lessons.

[mullet]

It's fun spending the day with someone that is truley good, isn't it?

[bubby]

your a lucky man George, Bub

[Jimbob]

Thanks for the pictures George!!  Looks like a good time, especially the the crawfish....thats one thing that I really miss about home.

[gstoneberg]

It's fun spending the day with someone that is truley good, isn't it?

O yea, he'd say we can get that hump by hitting here, here and here.  3 hits and it was gone.  Then I'd go try it on mine and have to scramble like crazy to get past the problems I caused.  I need lots of practice.  Awesome to see his level of skill.  I had a lot of fun too.

George

[TRACY]

The only thing to make the day better would have been to have the boil at Cowboys place. Looks like a lot of fun and worth the money for gas.

Tracy

[Sparrow]

 Now that looks like a good time.  '  Frank

[cowboy]

Well good morning George. I'll tell ya - I'm glad we finally hooked up! Have been needing someone to sit around and shoot the bull with while chipping. I don't feel like i spent enough time with ya though so I'll deffinantly have to hook up with you and the others out in Cross Plains often. Sounds like a good time. Use them legs with that Ishi! Tip of the day .

[julieb]

We hung in there and got a few made. Here's one of Indiana hornestone, Brazos river chert, Pappyite , a gift from George (thanks again George), and some odd looking perd. Need to practice more, made pretty good triangles but when it comes time to notch they all look a little silly, ha . Oh, and here's a knapper immediatly following a swing in deep contemplation ..

[Jimbob]

Nice points brother!

[gstoneberg]

...and here's a knapper immediatly following a swing in deep contemplation ..

Yeah, he's shocked that previous flake ran as far as it did, and clueless why the one he just watched didn't...   How did that guy get so old???

Thanks again Paul,
George

[cowboy]

"tonnage" like they all say". Work the devil outa all you have then find some more. You'll be an expert in no time. Old? I guess a lot of miles beats the alternative . We're just peaking over the horizon George ..

[mullet]

Yep! Didn't look older then me when you were down here.

[gstoneberg]

You guys are great.   I wish I'd had more time to hang out when I was there Eddie.  Now I want to visit more knappers, it is a blast.   I do get impatient Paul, think it should go faster, but I suppose not.

George